CASE AGAINST NASIR GROUP OFFICIALS
Star Business Report
The High Court yesterday wanted to know why the Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU), the anti-money laundering wing of the Bangladesh Bank, has failed to complete the investigation into a money laundering case in the last four years that was filed against four high officials of Nasir Group of Industries.
The court ordered the governor of the central bank and senior secretary to the finance division to submit a report to the court in 40 days, explaining the reasons behind the long delay in completing the investigation.
During hearing of a revision petition filed by the accused of the money laundering case, the HC directed the BFIU to complete the investigation into the case in next four months.
The HC bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Md Mostafizur Rahman exonerated the four accused from personal appearance before the lower court concerned in connection with the case.
The bench also fixed March 14 for further hearing and passing order on this issue, Deputy Attorney General Sarwar Hossain Bappi told The Daily Star.
He said the Anti-Corruption Commission filed the case in 2015 against Nasir Group of Industries’ Chairman Nasir Uddin Bishwash, its General Manager (import) Alfaz Uddin, Assistant General Manager Mobaidul Islam and GM (marketing) Shamim Ahmed alias Shamsul Islam bringing allegation of laundering Tk 56.33 crore abroad through under-invoice from 2009 to 2014.
ACC’s Director Mir Joynul Abedin Shibli submitted the final report to the lower court concerned in 2016 exempting the four accused from the charges of the money laundering case.
The same year, the trial court refused to accept the final report submitted by the ACC official and ordered the BFIU to conduct a further investigation into the case.
The four accused filed a revision petition with the HC seeking cancellation of the trial proceedings of the case against them on the ground that the investigation of the case was not completed yet.
After examining the documents annexed with the revision petition, the HC bench yesterday issued the directives, DAG Sarwar said, adding that the investigation is still now going on.
Lawyer Mahbubur Rahman appeared for the accused while lawyer Tanvir Parvez represented the BFIU.